Death With Dignity Argumentative Essay

Introduction:
Attention- Gaining Device:
Recently a debatable topic has been arising, with the struggles and heartache of death involved. The choice to end life with the help of a physician. The choice to end life when in pain and suffering and having the option to commit suicide. Three states in the United States currently allow this application of suicide and have passed a law called the Death with Dignity law (Sivier, 2014).
Identification of Audience:
Many college students and young adults do not realize the effects of controversial laws like the Death with Dignity law as in many scenarios it does not affect them in anyway.
Significance:
The Death with Dignity law is controversial and must be abolished from with the health care system.
It does allow patient the free will to choose whether or not they want to live, however it is controversial in the fact that this freedom can be misused and in the end harm the patient. Insurance companies, physicians, and even family members can use the Death with Dignity law to their benefit and harm the patient. This is why the Law must be removed and abolished from the health care system.
Body:
I. The main controversial issues behind the Death with Dignity law.
A. According to Starks, Dudzinski & White the Death with Dignity law requires eligible people must be competent and have a limited life expectancy of about six months or less to be eligible to receive the self-administered drug (Starks, Dudzinski & White, 2013).
a. Although it is required a person have an expectancy of six months to live Wesley Smith stated that a terminally ill patient was prescribed and received a lethal prescription two years before he naturally died (Smith, 2006).
b. Smith also states the patient whose death was reviewed afterward was permitted to keep his pills even after being hospitalized as delusional (Smith,
In Oregon, the first state to pass the Death with Dignity law a 64 year old women who had lung cancer that would more than likely kill her, was prescribed a drug that cost around 4,000 dollars by her doctor. (James, 2008).
a. The woman stated; "I received a letter in the mail that basically said if you want to take the pills, we will help you get that from the doctor and we will stand there and watch you die. But we won't give you the medication to live” (James, 2008).
b. Not only did the insurance company use the Death with Dignity law to benefit personal profit, but they also choose to do so at the cost of a human life. (Antithesis)
II. The near foreseen future of assisted physician suicide. A. Wesley Smith wrote that “Once we accept the assisted suicide of terminally ill patients, we will over time come to accept the killing of chronically ill patients, disabled people, depressed patients, and ultimately perhaps, even children” (Smith, 2006). B. It can soon be determined that people who burden us or somehow seem unnecessary for whatever reason should as well be seen as a candidate for physician aided suicide.
C. Although it is currently illegal in the United States this evolvement of the death with dignity may eventually even open the minds of many to the idea of the unspeakable. (Paralipsis)